Increasing numbers of young women (and men) want flexible work arrangements so they can spend more time at home with their children, as well as pursue other interests. (Corbis Images)

Most American mothers work today, thanks partly to the women's movement. But a new crop of activist mothers is calling for a shift in focus from careers to raising families. They want to spend more time with their children — through part-time work or taking time off — without paying stiff economic penalties. Part-time workers generally earn less than full-time workers, receive no benefits and are pushed off promotion tracks. Several mothers' groups are calling for ambitious government benefits to reward at-home caregiving. But their embryonic movement faces a backlash from childless workers, who resent subsidizing parents with benefits like paid parental leave. In addition, some skeptics wonder if high-earning young professionals are being too greedy by insisting on “having it all” — both family and career.